Pinless curtain stretcher



March 27, 1951 J. ASTON PINLESS CURTAIN STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 7, 1948 k 1 a Q Mr 2 e w H. @M

N 6 x a 1 4 J 4 Q a w r 42 X J Jr 0 00 0 03 0 n u 17 EL H q 95 M 1 j 11 1a O rf l wd March 27, 1951 J, s'ro 2,546,249

. PINLESS CURTAIN STRETCHER Filed May 7, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention appertains to improvements in stretchers for stretching curtains and various other sheets of fabrics without the em ployment of pins.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a stretcher of the character stated which is both portable and collapsible, the device being capable of being reduced in size to consume but a very limited space when stored away.

Another object of the invention is to provide a curtain stretcher of the type not employing pins penetrating the fabric, wherein a stand is employed, capable of being placed close to a wall or other out of the way place, thus requiring but a very limited space while in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pinless curtain stretcher wherein upper and lower stretcher units are employed in conjunction with a stand or other suporting means and wherein the upper unit is attached to the stand, while the other unit is suspended by the curtain and functioning as a weight fast to stretch the curtain vertically.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the assembly.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the assembly.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view of the assembly. 7

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the back bar of the upper stretcher unit.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the front bar of the upper stretcher unit.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of one of the curtain slide clamps.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of an intermediate bar clamp.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a modified form of curtain clamp.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of athird form of curtain clamp.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 generally refers to a stand which may be used in conjunction with upper and lower stretcher units 6, l.

The stand 5 is composed of a pair of parallel base members 8, 8 from which posts 9, 9 rise and these are connected by a cross bar I0.

The posts 9, 9 are provided with pivotal extensions H, the lower ends of which are appertured to receive bolts [2 which are also disposed through openings in upper ends of the posts 9 and equipped with wing nuts l3, which when tightened, serve to hold the pivotal extensions H, H in an upright position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The upper ends of the pivotal extensions H,

' l I are connected or bridged by a pair of bars I4,

i5, the bar [5 being a carrier bar for supporting the upper stretcher unit 6.

The upper stretcher unit 8 is composed of a back bar It formed with a slot l1 extending in-" wardly from each end thereof and terminating inwardly of the intermediate portion of the bar.

L-shaped plates l8 are secured to the end portions of the back bar It in a position so that one flange thereof will project forwardly, as shown in Figure 6. Adjacent each end of the back bar IS an L-shaped hook it is secured to the upper edge thereof and these are engaged over the hanger bar [5, as shown in Figure 2 when the upper unit 6 is being supported.

In conjunction with the back bar It, the upper unit 6 also employs a front bar 29 having'substantially wide slots 2| at the end portions thereof. U-shaped members 22 are secured to the ends of the front bar 29 with their bight portions slightly spaced from the adjacent ends of the bar 20 to afford passageways 23 for the snug reception of the flanges a of the L-shaped plates [8 carried by the back bar It. Set screws 24 are feedable through the bight portions of the U-shaped members 22 tobite against the flanges a to hold the bars it, 20 inproper relation. To hold the intermediate portions of the bars I6, 20 substantially together, a clamp such as is generally referred to by numeral 25 in Figure 9 may be employed, this clamp 25 being made up of a U-shaped element 26 having a long leg I) and a short leg 0. A clamp screw 21 is feedable through the leg 0 which straddles the bar 2!] and this screw 21 carrying a pressure foot 28 serves to clamp the bars I8, 20 against the back leg b and. against whatever fabric is interposed between the bars.

For stretching and holding the curtain or the fabric stretched, a pair of clamps generally referred to by numeral 29 are employed. Each clamp being composed of a U-shaped member 30 having back and front legs 3!, 32 respectively, with a clamp screw 33 feedable through the leg .5 32 to clamp a curtain or the like X (see Figure 1) against the leg 3|.

The back side of the leg 31 carries a V-shaped spring element 34 which while slidable in the slot 11, has sufficient frictional boss as to hold the curtain stretched when the clamps 29 are moved in a direction toward the ends of the corresponding unit 6' or I. Obviously the clamps 29 can be removed by simply pulling the same outwardly from the back bar It and it is apparent that these clamps can be readily reached and shifted by reason of the large slots 2| in the front bar 20.

In place of the clamp shown in Figure 8 and denoted by reference character 29, a clamp'such as shown in Figure 10 and denoted by numeral 35 may be employed, this clamp consisting of a spring clip 36 having fiared end portions 31, 31 to permit the free entrance of fabric therebetween and between the spring jaws. One jaw of the spring clip 36 carries a V-shaped spring detent 38 which is slidable in the corresponding slots 11 in the same manner as the spring element 34 of the clamp 25 A third form of clamp is shown in Figure 11 and denoted by numeral 39, this clamp consisting of a U-shaped member ii] including legs H, 62, 1! having a clamp screw 13 feedable therethrough, while the leg 42 has a strip of spring metal disposed over the same and compressed behind the same to extend outwardly to provide slightly diverged spring fins 44, M, which can be compressed and inserted in the slot I! (see Figure 6) to function in the same manner as the spring members 34, 38 of the clamps 29, 35.

If the lower unit? is to always function as the weight unit of the assembly, it need not be provided with the hooks 19. However, to make the units interchangeable, both units may employ the hooks IQ for disposition over the hanger bar 15 of the stand 5.

In the use and operation of the apparatus, the stand in folded position is first taken out of storage and the pivotal extensions 1!, ll raised and held in that position by the clamping action of the bolts l2 and nuts I3.

The units 6, I are now attached to the ends of the curtain and the clamps 29 (or any form of clamp employed) moved outwardly along the slot 1 until the curtain is properly stretched. The bars 16, are now pressed together, the set screws 21 tightened and the clamps 25 (intermediate) tightened and placed, especially in the instance where wide curtains are being stretched.

The unit-6 having the hooks i9 is now held up and the hooks i9 engaged over the hanger bar l5 of the stand. The curtainis now allowed to depend from the upper portion of the stand and the lower unit I will act as a weight in stretching the curtain downwardly, while the unit 6, 1 serves to stretch the curtain horizontally.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A fabric stretcher comprising an upper stretcher unit and a lower stretcher unit, means for supporting the upper unit, the lower unit being supported by the fabric and acting as a weight to stretch the fabric downwardly, each of said units including an outer member and an inner member, said inner members each being formed with a slot in each end thereof, a fabric-engaging clamp associated with each of the slots, said clamps each having afiixed thereto a frictional spring slidably and adjustably disposed in an adjacent slot, and said spring being in the form of a pair of diverged spring elements adapted to be compressed and inserted into a selected portion of the adjacent slot.

2. A fabric stretcher comprising an upper stretcher unit and a lower stretcher unit, means for supporting the upper unit, the lower unit being supported by the fabric and acting as a weight to stretch the fabric downwardly, each of said units including an outer member and an inner member, said inner members each being formed with a slot in each end thereof, a fabricengaging clamp associated with each of the slots, said clamps each having affixed thereto a friction a1 spring slidably and adiustably disposed in an adjacent slot, and said spring being in the form of a V with its bight portion engageable in a selected portion of the adjacent slot.

3. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein means is provided in the outer members for manual access to the clamps.

4. A device as defined by claim 2 wherein means is provided in the outer members for manual access to the clamps.

ROBERT J. ASTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 505,306 Bohlinger Sept. 19, 1893 864,254 Perkins Aug. 27, 1907 1,666,622 Hess Apr. 17, 1928 1,849,707 Clark Mar. 15, 1932 2,311,245 Pearl Feb. 16, 1943 

